One-in-four Americans hold antisemitic beliefs, ADL report says

As of January 2024, 24% of Americans hold antisemitic beliefs, an increase from 20% in 2022, according to a study by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Center for Antisemitic Research. The survey highlights that millennials and Generation Z believe in more antisemitic tropes than any other generational cohort. 

Between 2022 and 2024, the average number of anti-Jewish tropes believed by Americans increased from 4.18 to 4.31 out of 14. Respondents who believed in at least six antisemitic tropes were deemed to hold antisemitic views. A majority of Americans believe in at least two anti-Jewish tropes. The two that are most supported by Americans are “Jews stick together more than other Americans” and “Jews in business go out of their way to hire other Jews.” 

Millennials tended to agree with the largest number of anti-Jewish tropes on average (5.4), followed by Gen Z with an average of 5, Gen X at 4.2, and Baby Boomers at 3.1. Gen Z is significantly more comfortable being friends with a Hamas supporter than any other generation, with over 50% at least somewhat agreeing they would be friends with someone who supports Hamas. 

Additional tropes in the study include “Jews are more loyal to Israel than to America,” “Jews have too much power in the business world,” “Jews have too much control and influence on Wall Street,” “Jews are more willing than others to use shady practices to get what they want,” among others. 

Above 42% of Americans either have friends or family who dislike Jews or find it socially acceptable for a close family member to support Hamas, 23.2% and 27.2%, respectively.

The study of 4,143 Americans revealed correlations between conspiratorial thinking and social dominance orientation, and anti-Jewish belief. A significant percentage of Americans hold anti-Israeli positions but also support the right for Israel to exist as a Jewish state; individuals who held negative attitudes toward Israeli policies, people, and Israel-oriented conspiracies were significantly more likely to believe anti-Jewish tropes.   

Research illustrates that conspiracy theory belief is one of the main correlates of anti-Jewish belief, with those who fall in the highest quartile of conspiracy theory beliefs endorsing three times as many anti-Jewish tropes as those in the lowest quartile.

Anti-Israel sentiment and conspiracies 

In order to understand if anti-Israel sentiment is also related to a conspiratorial mindset, researchers asked two questions, among them if they agree with the statement that “Israeli operatives are secretly manipulating US national policy through AIPAC or other influence tools.” 

A third of respondents agreed with the statement, at least somewhat. Researchers concluded, based on the responses, that conspiracy-based anti-Israel sentiment is strongly correlated with antisemitic belief. Those who strongly agree with the aforementioned statement, on average, agree with 6.8 antisemitic tropes. 

Researchers also found that those who agreed the most with the statement, “When we think about the problems of the world, it comes down to the oppressor vs the oppressed,” agreed with six anti-Jewish tropes, compared with those who strongly disagreed with the statement, who believed in, on average, 2.4 anti-Jewish tropes. When asked if Jews were oppressors, oppressed, both, or neither, 13.2% selected oppressors, 37.6% selected oppressed, 34.1% selected neither, and 15.1% selected both oppressors and oppressed. 

Those who most strongly believe “an ideal society requires some groups to be on top and others to be on the bottom” believed in, on average, 6.1 anti-Jewish tropes, and those who strongly disagreed with the statement endorsed, on average, 2.9 anti-Jewish tropes.

The two-state solution is supported by 47.6% of Americans, and 8.5% support Israeli annexation of the West Bank and Gaza. Of those who are at least somewhat uncomfortable with buying products from Israel, 34.3% favor a two-state solution. However, the more likely one is to hold anti-Israel policy positions, the more likely one is to oppose a two-state solution or annexation.

Among Gen Z, 16.6% support the termination of Israel and the establishment of a Palestinian state in all areas of historic Palestine, in which the Jews living there are not granted full citizenship or rights. Among millennials, 12.2% agree. 

One state in which Palestinians and Jews will be citizens of the same state and enjoy equal rights is supported by 31.1% of Gen Z, 30.8% of millennials, 31.2% of Gen X, and 23.7% of baby boomers. Baby boomers are most supportive of a two-state solution, at 59.1%.  

Those who are opposed to military aid to Israel endorse more anti-Jewish tropes. Opponents of US military aid to Israel supported an average of 5.4 tropes compared to 3.7 tropes endorsed by supporters of US military aid to Israel.        

Over 40% of Americans think that Israelis intend to cause maximal suffering to Palestinians, and 35.9% at least somewhat believe that Israelis desire to live in a world where all Palestinians are killed. This statement is most strongly correlated to antisemitic trope endorsement, with an average of 6.3 trope endorsements among those who strongly agree.  

Researchers concluded that those with anti-Israel beliefs are significantly more likely to be among the most anti-Jewish Americans. Those who agree that Israeli operatives are secretly manipulating US national policy through AIPAC or other influence tools are 7.5 times more likely to harbor anti-Jewish beliefs.

Those who believe that if Israel had their way, they would live in a world where all Palestinians were killed and who believe supporters of Israel control the media are 5.2 and 5.1 times more likely to believe anti-Jewish tropes. Those who believe that Jews do not have the right to an independent country are 3.7 times more likely to hold antisemitic beliefs.